Prosperity Gospel - does Jesus really want you to get rich? Really??

I’ve got to get this out, but first I need to make a disclaimer. I am an atheist. I wondered if I was agnostic but the weight of science and rational thought led me to atheism.

What do I need to get out? Sometimes in life you see hypocrisy so crisply defined that you just have to marvel at the complexity of the scaffolding that holds it all together.

Now remember that I have a wafer thin knowledge of the Bible. Apart from the miserable year I spent at a Presbyterian private school and the still to be explained years of Sunday School my parents inflicted on my brothers and I in the 1960’s, I have nothing.

My father was raised Anglican and my mother wasn’t aware she was Jewish until she was informed of it in the school playground. As the decades rolled by, Mum and Dad dropped all pretense of religious affiliation and as they entered their “golden years”, became not only atheistic but deeply offended by the harm religion seemed to do around the world.

My three brothers and I have a shared sense of the nonsense of deep religious faith but accept that it is the choice of individuals so we don’t go around making a noise and embarrassing or challenging those of faith.

However, what I cannot get past is what seems to be colloquially called prosperity gospel. The affinity I do feel for all religions is the fundamental tenet of service. The unifying principle of responsibility to those around us who are vulnerable or suffering is something that is a a universal human trait.

How anyone can take the Bible and make it say that personal enrichment is one’s responsibility or right or whatever the interpretation is defies belief. What it shows is that nothing cannot be corrupted with enough effort, suspension of humanity and cynical self-regard.

It’s ironic. I quite often say to myself or others in a business or personal context “what would Jesus do?” and I don’t do it in a sneering and dismissive way. I ask it for a couple of reasons. The first is because it has a touch of ironic humour since I am an atheist, but also because I am quite clear that the answer would always be doing the right thing by others, give generously of yourself, try and walk in the other guys shoes, be selfless and serve.

Prosperity gospel seems to provide some with the excuse they need to serve themselves and call it God’s will. Why does this bother me? Because I try and live a life that contains service and a commitment to humanity and the possibility of equity and a good life for others. I don’t do it for Jesus. I do it because it’s the right thing to do.

I stumble and fall, I make bad decisions and hurt people unintentionally, but my heart is in the right place and I try and clean up my messes. I am terribly flawed and am well aware of it. I try and work on that stuff.

I don’t believe in God, but I reckon if there was a God, people who follow the prosperity gospel will burn in the fiery pits of hell for all of eternity.

Margaret Thatcher, global misanthrope once said — “there is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women and there are families.” I universally reject this cold and soulless philosophy. My Jewish grandfather, who I never met, apparently used to ask himself the question — “am I my brothers keeper?” and from this atheist I say resoundingly YES I am.

This is not a criticism of religion. It is a calling out of the hypocrisy that is giving it a really bad name amongst the people who believe we need to put our efforts into building a better, more equitable society for the benefit of all.

 Please let me know what you think. Call me on +64275665682 or email me at john.luxton@regenerationhq.co.nz